Coil-spring.



PATBNTBD APR. za, 1908,

la.` GREGG.

COIL SPRING.

APPLIGATION-IILED FEB. 7, 190B.

/f I 3 l @Vitra mazo RAYMOND GREGG, OF I'IMMOND, INDIANA.

COIL-SPRING.

Application led February 7, 1908. Serial No. 414.7241.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND GREGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of'lnf diana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coil-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coil springs, particularly adapted for use on railway cars, but capable for use on other vehicles 3 and it consists of an improved device for retarding and controlling the vibrations incident to the springs and to correct several defects peculiar to such springs.' I

Coil springs, as generally used, are made short or low, and of small pitch,'and aside from their ballistic action or tendency, the coils will strike together when compressed, which causes a jar which is transmitted to the car and which forms the chief objection to such s rings. Leaf'springs are steadier, because t e friction between the leaves retards the vibrations, but they are also very much more expensive.

The present invention is designed to reduce or prevent the catapultic action of a coil spring, and rnake'it equal, if not superior, to a leaf spring. 'This is accomplished by means of a spring steel bushing, s lit and rolled or compressed to iit Within t e outer coil, in connection with other devices to be hereinafter described, including means for so connecting inner and outer springs together I that the action of both will be controlledor retarded.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of a nest of springs, the top' plate being partly broken laway Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bushing. Fig.

4 is a vertical section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 in dicates the outer coils, 7 the inner coils, 8 the base or bottom plate, 9 the cap or top plate and 10 the connecting bolt.

11 is a bushing made of tem ered spring steel. It is split up one side ant is normally of larger diameter than the inside diameter of the outer coil. It is compressed and inserted between saidcoil and the inner coil, and it constantly exerts a frictional pressure upon the inner side of said outer coil. The length of this bushing is preferably as great,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

or greater, than the height of the coil., whereby it exerts its controlling influence throughout the whole height of the coil. A

The base 8 and cap 9 are made of malleable iron, and the base has a circular groove 1.2 in which the lower end of the bushing sits, the groove being Wide'enough to allow the necessary expansion and contr-action ofl the bushing. The bushing is fastened down lor connected to the base 8 by means of a cross pin 13 which extends through the base and through slots 14 in the lower end of the bushing. Thisfeature is important, as will be explained later. The inner spring is somewhat higher than the outer spring, and the cap late 9 has raised crowns or cups 15 into whic i the upper end of the inner springs extends. The inside of the cup is large enough to receive the upper end of the bushing, and. to allow the cups to 'workup and down over 'said bushing. The de th of the cup should equal the sum of the istances between the coils of theA outside spring, in other words,

the difference between the solid height of the pring; and the extended or normal height.

his cup makes it possible to have the bushing of as great or greater height than the outer coil.

Means are provided to cause the two A It will be noticed thatvthe bushing is as` long or longer than the height of the outer spring. Consequently it exerts its eect throughout the whole lengthof the siring, and not on only part thereof, as with a ushing shorterrfrthan the coil. In order for a p spring to receive the full restraining iniiuence of AaV bushing shorter than the spring, [the spring would have to be compressed until the' coils strike together, a feature which it is most sought to avoid. Also, the bushing in this invention is fastened down, and is there` by prevented from'workin u and down with thecoil, as with loose ousliiugs, which in 17A leo . to be produced.

i' friction is produced.

would decrease or lessen thefric'tion desired relative to the spring the greatest y.possible By connecting the inner and outer coils togetherthelinsidecoil cannot have the effect of im'pairing'the'action of the controller. The inside coil" would otherwise have this effect because, being small enoughin diameter to workI freely inside the bushing, it would have a tendency tp act independently and too quickly, which is a defect to be avoided. As explained, the action of the outer coil is restricted by the frictional pressurey of the controller thereof. By hooking or connecting the upper end 'of the outer coil to the cap plate the inner spring cannot expand without also expanding the outer spring; or in other Words, othsprings are com el ed to work to ether and are con sequent y controlled by t ie bushing referred Although illustrated and described in connection with inner and outer coils, the bushing nevertheless is capable of use on springs having a single coil only. The constant frictien maintained by the bushing throughout the whole length of the outer spring, as we as the connection ner coils which insures control are important decided advantages in the practical operation of the invention, and-makes it much superior to those 'controllers which retard the action of the spring in one direction only ,or which fail to operate upon both springs or upon all parts of the o uter spring.

1. The combination with a coil spring, of a longitudinally rigid J ent member arranged'within the coil and in frictional contact with the inner' surface of the coil along its entire length. 2. The combination with a coil spring, of a 1netallic resilient member arranged'lengthwise Within the coil and in frictional contact with the inner surface thereof, the lengthv of the said member being'not less than the normal length of the coil, whereby said contact is provided along the entirelength of said betweenthe outer and intheir joint actions and 3. The combination with a coil spring, of a split sprin steel bushing compressedand inserted wit inthe spring, the length of the ,bushing being at least equal to that of the normal length of the coil.

4. The combination with a coil spring, of a metallic tubular resilient vmember within the coil and exerting pressure on the located features attended with,

and diametrically resili'V esente inner surface of the coil -along the whole When the bushing is iixed length thereof in all conditions.

A 5. The combination with a coil spring, and a bearing plate at theend thereof, of a resilient memberffastened to the plate and projecting along the coil and in frictional `contact with the surface thereof. n

6. The combination with a coil s ring and a plate against which the end of t e spring rests, of a s ring-steel bushing fastenedat one end to t e plate and extending in frictional Contact with the surface of the coil.

which the end of t e spring rests, said plate having a circular groove therein, and a spring-steel bushing fastened at one end in said groove and extending in frictional contact with the surface of the coil.

8: The combination with a coily spring, of

7. The combination. with a coils ring, of a plate against plates against oplposite ends of the s ring,` l

one of the plates aving a recess and a ongltudinally ri id and laterally resiiient `member extending a ong the full length of the coil and in frictionalcontact therewith and arranged to project at one endinto said recess.

9. The combination of inner and outer coily springs, a controller for one spring, and connections between the springs preventing independentaction thereof, w 'ereby the influence of thecontroller is extended to both springs.

10. The combination of inner and outer coil springs, base andcap plates 'between which the springs are located, a controller for one of said springs, and a ,connection between the ca plate and. the upper end of the controlledp spring, to prevent lift of the plate.

11. The combination of inner and outer coil springs, base and cap #plates between which the springs are located, and a resilient member fastened to the base plate and located in frictional contact with the surface of the outer spring, theV outer spring being fastened at its upper end to the cap late.

12. The combination. ofA a base p atea cap plate above the same, having inverted cup therein., inner and outer coil springs between the plates, the former extending at its u per end into the cup, and aspring-steel 'bushing located within theV outer springend' in frictional contact therewith and arranged to project at its upper end into the cup. s

ln ,testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' RAYMOND GREGG.

Jlitnessesz Nieman FnL'rsxco, I-I. Gr. BATcHELoB. 

